Attention to Media and Trust in Media Sources: Analysis of Data from the IEA Civic Education Study

In this fact sheet, data is reported from the IEA Civic Education Study -- a two-phased study of 14- and 17-year olds' civic knowledge, attitudes and activities conducted in 29 countries in 1999 and 2000 with nationally representative samples of students. The information from this study is used to address three main points concerning the media and civic engagement. First, the report describes, through an international comparison, young people's exposure to news on television and radio and in newspapers. Second, it examines adolescents' trust in the media and compares that trust to their trust in their national governments across several countries and the United States. Third, it presents correlates of media use -- looking separately at newspaper reading and television viewing. In addition to examining these issues across all countries in the study, the report focuses specifically on data for three countries: Chile, Portugal, and the United States. (Contains 7 figures and 13 endnotes.)